Attachment for journal boxes



Dec. 6, 1949 J. Y. SMITH 2,490,658

ATTACHMENT FOR JOURNAL BOXES Filed Feb. 5, 1947 ii* 972,; i

Fig I 2 a- 5 [3 H u Inventor Joseph K Smith iaiented Dec. 6, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,490,658 ATTACHMENT FOR J OURNAL BOXES Joseph Yanto Smith, East St. Louis, Ill. Application February 3, 1947, Serial No. 726,109- 2 Claims. (01. 308 -88) This invention relates to new and useful improvements in attachments for journal boxes and more particularly to a device carried within the journal box of railway cars adapted to prevent said journal box from becoming overheated.

The primary feature of the present invention is to provide a device of the character referred to adapted to spring up and down with the journal box and within the journal box, to bring the packing within the journal box in contact with the axle for lubrication thereof.

Another important feature of this invention is to provide a device adapted to prevent hot boxes on engine tenders, freight cars, passenger cars and the like thereby reducing the expense of serve icing and repairing damages caused by hot journals.

A further feature of the present invention is to provide a simply constructed device which is quickly and easily applied within a journal box to prevent delays to freight and passenger cars due to hot journals.

A still further feature of the present invention is to provide a device adapted to aid in lubricating axles within a journal box and which is small and practical in construction, eflicient and reliable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a journal box in which the present invention is held and showing one end of an axle rotatably carried by said journal box;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the present invention removed from a journal box;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectiona1 view taken on line 44 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is an end view of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral 5 represents a usual journal box having an opening 6 closed by a door 1 hinged to said box as at 8.

Journaled for rotation within said box 5 is one end of an axle 9, said axle adapted to carry wheels or the like (not shown) in a. usual manner.

The journal box is filled in a usual manner with packing surrounding the end of the axles for lubrication thereof.

Loosely carried by the lower portion of said journal box is a substantially rectangular resilient plate designated generally at I I having its upper face I2 preferably convexed, the side edges l3 of said plate being turned downwardly as shown in Figure 5.

Openings l4 are provided in the convexed face I2 of said plate which are adapted to allow packing to pass therethrough when the plate is placed in a journal box as shown in Figure 1.

In operation the plate being positioned in place within the journal box as previously described, the plate is adapted to vibrate up and down with the movement of the journal box thereby bringing the packing material in contact with the axle and said spring plate II is also adapted to act as a suction means and forces what oil may be in the bottom of the journal box, back into the packing, thereby keeping the journal box packing Well saturated with oil.

By keeping the packing saturated with oil and also by keeping the saturated packing against the axle, greater lubrication of said axle is created thereby eliminating many hot boxes usually caused by lack of proper lubrication of said axle.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An attachment for journal boxes comprising a substantially rectangular concave-convexed plate constructed of spring metal loosely carried within the lower portion of said journal box, said plate having openings therein through which packing material in the box passes, said plate adapted for movement with the journal box for urging the packing material in the box against one end of an axle journaled for rotation @within said journal box, the longitudinal side edges of said plate being turned downwardly to bear against the lower wall of a journal box, the concaved surface of said plate opposing the bottom insert comprising an elongated concayq-convexed plate loosely carried within the journal box, said plate being apertured to provide openings through which the packing filling the box passes,

said journal box having a bottom wall; spacedflanges depending from the sides-:oisald plate bearing against the bottom wall of said journal box, the concaved surface of said platealoeinge spaced from the bottom wall of said journal box 4 to provide openings between the ends of the plate 4 and the bottom Wall Of said journal box, the packing in said journal box closing the openings at the ends of the plate whereby said plate will function as a diaphragm to such a lubricant from the bottom wall of said journal box and force the same into the packing.

JOSEPH YANTO SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this-4 patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 675,240 Parsons May 28, 1901 2,15%;8f12 4 Grece Nov. 1, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Nu rnberj- Country Date France Oct. 13, 1937 

